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Capital, The (Newspaper) - March 8, 1995, Annapolis, Maryland
'U Branch with a Lenten HOWELL MICROFILMS PQ BOX 1558 LAUREL MD 20707 that's it he's Ptrotos by J. The Capital At the county police academy last county police Officer Michael assisted by a police a sobriety test to reporter PJ. Snuey. Officers check for shaking In the eyes. Getting smashed for a cause By P.J. SHUEY Staff Writer The setting was hardly conducive for getting sloppy noon in a fluorescent-lighted police academy class- room in Davidaonville before a group of uniformed police officers. For about three hours last yours truly and 10 other volunteers were liquored then-handed over to a group of 30 recruits whose purpose was to find out how drunk we were. The of had little to do with having a good time. The county has already recorded two alcohol-related fatalities this year and sharpening the testing skills of police officers is one way to help stop the carnage. For the such exercises have apparently yielded results. Figures just released show drunken driving arrests by county police increased 1.5 percent to last year despite impressions that public awareness is higher and fewer people are driving according to Officer Randy county police spokesman. increased sensitivity to the and Increased proactive enforcement techniques... appear to be the key he said. Brenda state executive director for Mothers Against Drunk said highway fatality rates have declined in recent with alcohol-related cases appar- ently leading the decline. Whether that is because of improved enforcement or social awareness is a tough call I believe the awareness programs .we are doing are Ms. Barnes said of the hardest things in this field is being able to Page Al Reporter PJ. Shueyof The to stand on one foot to test his balance during a sobriety test administered by Officer Soriano and a recruit. Ten iDCHldfllSj SUCIM theycouMbe tested by a croup of 30 police recruits. INSIDE ______j Two gunmen jumped out of a taxr at a stoplight and sprayed bullets at a Van carrying American consulate workers killing two and wounding a third. At Quietly and without Detective Tom Langs has rebutted virtu- ally every murder theory offered by O.J. Simpson's from suggestions of a drug hit to the Ben Jerry's melting ice cream scenario. A2 ArunoH Report..... Dl Ask a Vet......... AZ Calendar............. AS Chefs Choice.....Bl-3 02 Comtct................ B4 Crossword......... B6 Death Notices.... C3 Dog's World..... A7 Editorials......... A12 Small guard Walker is very big for Navy SEE SPORTS SECTION Cl Sen. scholarships near Dl Slam Riva athlete honored dtapttal TOMORROW BLUSTERY DETAILS PAGE A13 MARCH 8. 1995. ANNAPOLIS. MD HOME 25C 35C Footprints path to slayer By BRIAN WHEELER Staff Writer Two shoeprints found outside a sliding glass door could be all that stands between Scotland Eugene Williams and a murder conviction. Attorneys for the Arnold charged with killing two Washington lawyers in their home outside contended yesterday that the prints don't match the defendant's. The footprints were discovered where police think the killer entered the home of Julie N. Gilbert and Jose E. Trias. In the seventh day of Williams' first- degree murder detectives who investi- gated the killings conceded that the prints have not been matched to nine pairs of Williams' shoes they examined. The prints also didn't match photocopied But were they prints of Williams' shoes made in Septem- ber 1993 after he was arrested for an unre- lated crime was no match between the Xeroxed copies and the questioned said Eric a county police evidence WIUJAMS technician. The testimony came as Williams' attor- neys mounted a one-day defense in which they tried to show their client wasn't responsible for the killings The shoepnnt testimony accompanied appearances by outside experts and even a jailhouse friend pf Williams all designed to chip away at a prosecution case that links Williams to the murders largely through circumstantial evidence. But with Williams watching his attorneys didn't any witnesses who could account for his whereabouts during the weekend in question. That leaves the which a jury could receive as early as this as a battle over evidence left at the murdered couple's Winchester Road home. The two unmatched shoeprints could prove especially important because they counter prosecution testimony last week in which a print found in the home's kitchen was matched to a shoe worn by Williams Detective David Harp said yesterday that police suspected the murderer entered through a glass door because of mulch that was found on a carpet inside the door. There no sign of forced but police think furniture inside the door was moved because of imprints left in the carpet Because of knee marks on the police believe the assailant crawled across a dining room floor to avoid an electronic sensor that it appeared the point of entry was the sliding glass Detective Harp said. If that's the unidentified shoeprints found on a piece of trim below the door could be those of the Williams' attorneys contended. Page HIGH ABOVE THE CONTROVERSY Photo courtesy of Maurice H Manor An aerial view of P.S.T. Reclamation shows trucks dumplnc loads at the rubble landm off Sands Road. Owner Presley S. Taylor has applied to open a 45-acre section when trite stte Is fuN. Cannon no longer opposes Harwood landfill expansion By MICHAEL CODY Staff Writer The county director of recreation and parks has withdrawn his opposi- tion to a controversial rubble landfill expansion in Harwood. But M. Joseph Cannon denied that be was pressured to do so by County Executive John G. Gary who favors expansion of P.S.T. Reclama- tion's 35-acre construction debris dump. he said is said Larry a spokesman for Kbv Gary. he realized he made an he corrected it. You can't expect any more out of a person than Mr. Cannon last week with- drew a Feb. IS letter he had sent to the state Department of CANNON the Environ- ment opposing the expansion. In he contended that the expansion would harm a million wetlands reclamation project across Sands Road from the site. he still thought the expansion would hurt the wetlands. rather not said Mr. a retired federal em- ployee who was named director 14 months ago. In his letter of Mr. Cannon had described the 200-acre wetlands the largest in the as and jeopardized by a water-diversion plan proposed by P.S.T.'s a watery solution that oozes from also was a potential the letter said. Mr. Gary will consider the infor- mation in Mr. Cannon's On Monday he declined to say if Page Gov. seeks smoking ban deal By TODDSP ANGLER Staff Writer With e hearing scheduled today on a bill to protect hotels and restaurants from the state's workplace smoking Gov. Parris N. Glendening is trying to reach some middle ground with legislative leaders. The governor said yesterday that he would consider a compromise allowing larger bars and restaurants to build separately ventilated smoking constructed to keep tobacco smoke out of the rest of the establishment. But his attempt to cut a deal with lawmakers could fail in the face of bills exempting hotel and motel as well as any establishment with a liquor license. Three-fifths of Maryland's legislators are backing the enough to override an expected veto by Glendening. The governor couldn't say yesterday whether restaurant and tavern employees could volunteer to work in his proposed smoking rooms. Early legal indications are that employees would have to stay out of those meaning patrons would have to leave the section to serve themselves. don't know the answer right he said But it's clear employees could not be compelled to go into a smoking section under Mr. Glendening's compromise. The governor said yesterday he still plans to veto any move to exempt whole industries from the ban. But identical bills sponsored by Del. John S. D-Baltimore and Sen. George W Delia have enough support to beat a veto. Eighty-five of the 141 delegates have signed on as including Speaker Casper R. Taylor a smoker and-former tavern owner from In the 29 of 47 members have signed on. Legislators are rushing to push through the since the General Assembly session adjourns April 10. only have a 30-day window of opportunity to enact a change in the or else they go into effect without the action of the elected officials of the House of Delegates or the said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr D-Prmce George's Both bills would exempt convention clubs and restaurants with liquor licenses from the provided they have no-smoking sections. Yesterday's made it appear as though Mr. Glendeoing is moving off his original hard-line in which only the smallest bars and restaurants could be exempted. The regulatory ban which prohibits tobacco smoking in practically every workplace in Maryland is set to go into effect March 27 The House Environmental Matters Committee was to hear Mr. Arnick's bill this afternoon. Business people from across Maryland are expected to complaining that the ban could de'stroy their establishments The Associated Press contributed to this story. Rodent found in container of Quaker oats Entertainment.... AID Kent Island......... AS Lottery.............. A4 Movies All Obituaries...........A13 Police Beat A13 Sports...........Cl-4 Television.......... All Tides................A13 West County........ B8 Portions of The Capital are printed each day on recycled paper The newspaper also is recyclable. 268-7000 From lUnt 327-1583 By MARK DAVENPORT Staff Writer With neighbors stopping by and her son coming to Edna Kidwell decided Saturday that she would bake a batch of oatmeal her son's favorite. But the Millersville woman's son Troy and the neighbors never got their cookies. they got to hear how Mrs. Kidwell found a mouse in a newly opened container of Quaker Oatmeal. always heard stories about this and never pictured it happening to said her James. The rodent was half-buried in one of the cylindrical cartons for which Quaker Oats is famous. Its tall and rear legs were sticking out of the and a paper coupon pack was lying half-eaten next to indicating the rodent had been alive while in the carton. A stunned Mrs. Kidwell closed the lid and threw the container into a garbage can outside. She's still a little upset and didn't want to talk about the Mr. Kidwell said. The family checked the kitchen shelves and found no evidence of ro- dents. The package appeared untam- pered with except that it bulged a bit on one Mr. Kidwell said. The Kidwells contacted the Food and Drug which is study- ing the rodent and the package to determine what happened. The two parties responsible for the Quaker Oats and Valu Food whose Severna Park branch sold the are denying culpability The oats came directly from a pro- duction plant in Cedar to the Valu Food a Quaker spokesman said. when you work with you have to worry about infesta- said Ron Quaker Oats director of public relations. man- ufacturing process was designed specif- ically to prevent foreign contamination of the He said oats are filtered through special screens that will trap any particles that are than an oat The cartons are earned upside-down on the production line and are flipped Page
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